Aging out of foster care -- and into the Triangle's soaring housing rates

Many youth aging out of the foster care system are now desperately seeking affordable housing. In the current Triangle market, "affordable" may seem impossible for youth living on their own for the first time.

The competition is fierce, especially in the Raleigh area.

"It’s like a race to the finish to see who can access that first," said Meredith Yuckman, executive director of The Hope Center at Pullen in Raleigh.

The challenge is even greater for 18-year-olds transitioning out of the foster care system, trying to become self-sufficient all on their own.

"To me, housing is important because I do have a child. He’s 3, so it would mean providing that stability for not just me, but also my son," said Lyrika, who is 23 and left the foster care system five years ago.

She and many other former foster care youth face the same housing challenge when they apply for a rental. Landlords require evidence that they can afford it, often expecting first month and last month’s rent along with a deposit.

"It’s really hard to provide three times the rent. It’s really impossible for me to be able to meet that requirement of income," Lyrika said.

It’s more than just a Raleigh problem, according to Yuckman.

"Internationally, 43% of youth who transition out of foster care experience homelessness by the age of 21," Yuckman said.

The Hope Center at Pullen offers support for people like Lyrica and 25-year-old Naivasha, who also has a young child. The center helped Naivasha secure an apartment before rent prices soared in the capital city.

"The hope center has provided so many different resources that I didn’t even know that was available. They’ve been here to help me physically, emotionally and helped me with my children," Naivasha said.

"At any given time, the Hope Center is paying for a hotel room for 2 to 3 youth because there is nowhere else for them to go other than on the streets," Yuckman said.

Yuckman works with landlords in the city to guarantee fair market value for monthly rent as long as they rent to former foster care youth.

Lyrika still seeks an apartment for her and her child, but she doesn’t feel alone in that journey.

"The Hope Center has supported me by just giving me that extra support as I’m going through the process of finding an apartment," she said.

The Hope Center at Pullen also helps foster care youth prepare for life on their own 2 years before they age out of the system.

The results show that 90% of youth in their program are able to afford an apartment by the time they have to live on their own.